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Monday, December 31, 2012

watching the girls and my mom together
the RWB performance of The Nutcracker
being with my Aunt, Uncle, cousins and their kids
playing in the snow
midnight mass at St. Matthew's Cathedral
walking around my mom's new neighborhood (my old neighborhood)
meeting Mogli and Stranger
visiting with friends i have known forever

but to top it all was a Christmas with my family (save my nephew in Australia) all together. we are a tiny bunch. but mighty. and my dad - while no longer with us - felt ever present.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

and a hockey game on the river. it doesn't get much more "Canadian Winter" than this.

it was hard work. and cold. but well worth it. e would not give up and did really well on the very uneven ice. k held on tightly to my hand and dreamt of spins and figure-eights. their cheeks were rosy and their legs tired.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

The Getty Research Institute has unveiled the newly catalogued collection of Krisel papers. There has always been much conversation in "the hood" as to the names of the various stages of development. This looks like an opportunity to shed some light on the subject.

Monday, December 17, 2012

"It comes as a shock at a certain point where you realize no matter how much you love these kids, you can’t do it by yourself, that this job of keeping our children safe and teaching them well is something we can only do together, with the help of friends and neighbors, the help of a community and the help of a nation.

And in that way we come to realize that we bear responsibility for every child, because we’re counting on everybody else to help look after ours, that we’re all parents, that they are all our children."
- President Barack Obama

Sunday, December 16, 2012

last night was our 6th progressive dinner. it was so very good to be together. to get to know each other better. to meet new neighbors. to know that we are raising our girls in a community filled with love. we had over 80 people come through 4 neighbors' homes. so good to know we live in a place where strangers can be invited in to share a meal and leave connected.

(this morning e brought up what happened in CT on friday. she'd found out through an image her cousin had posted on instagram. she showed me the picture she had saved on her phone of the young teacher who is now gone. i told her she was a hero. i told her to remember there are so many good people in the world. so many. we need to hold onto that. and we need to - collectively - find ways to stop this kind of thing from ever happening again. though i am not sure what those ways are. i do feel that the answer isn't found in building higher fences. in installing metal detectors. in preparing people for this to happen again. that can't be the answer. i am confident k doesn't know anything about it. i don't feel that her beautiful 8 yr old self needs to know. this is a good read on that subject.)

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg and molasses. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; mix just until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours and up to 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months (thaw before baking).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks set in upper and lower thirds. Working with one disk at a time, place dough on lightly floured parchment paper, and roll out to 1/8 inch thick, dusting lightly with flour as needed. Using paper, lift dough onto two baking sheets; freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.

Remove paper and dough from baking sheets. Using a long offset spatula, loosen dough from paper. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters, and brush off any excess flour. Transfer to baking sheets. (Gather scraps, briefly freeze, and re-roll.)

Make icing: In a large bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, powdered egg whites, and 1/4 cup water (if needed, adjust consistency with confectioners' sugar). Transfer icing to a pastry bag with a small tip, or place in a resealable plastic bag, and snip a small hole in one corner. Decorate cookies as desired. (I like these frosting-free... but the girls and D had fun decorating a few too. Maybe more fun decorating than eating? Hmmm....)

Store in a single layer in airtight container.

* * * * *

K: A little too gingery. I don't know if it would be on my top 10 list.

E: Yep. Too gingery. Pretty good though. But I think they could be better.

D: Great cookie. Spicy cake and sweet frosting. That first bite of ginger got my tastebuds' attention. I double dipped the arms and legs in the frosting bowl cuz it was there. Just how I roll.

i've greatly pared down. with only dwell and sunset (a gift) coming monthly. there are also those publications that, while magazines in definition, are a little bit more: 3191Q, kinfolk, wilder. (i have yet to go digital on any of this. i still can't get in to curling up with a cup of coffee and the ipad. i'm sure the time will come.)

i've added a bon appetit subscription starting this month. (from k's school fundraiser.) i don't know if it's adam rapoport. the gorgeous photography. just my cocooning spirit. or maybe a combination of all that. but i'm lapping it up.

Prepare baking sheets with silpat. Mix sugar and spices in a small bowl. Unfold pastry on a lightly floured work surface into a 14x10 inch rectangle, rolling out if needed. (As TJ's pastry comes in two sheets, I went with 2 7x10 inch rectangles, and skipped the cutting in half of the next step.) Brush lightly with butter. Sprinkle 1/4 c spiced sugar over. Cut in half lengthwise.

Fold both long sides of 1 pastry strip so that outer edges meet in the center of strip. Brush with more butter; sprinkle with 2 tbsp spiced sugar. Fold in half lengthwise, forming a 14 inch-long log about 1" wide. Repeat with remaining pastry strip.

Place logs on prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes. (Palmier dough can be prepared 2 weeks ahead. Store airtight in freezer. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before continuing.)